Getafe's Militancy Threatens to Derail Barcelona's Positive Streak

BARCELONA, SATURDAY — In terms of achievements and performance at the beginning of the season, Getafe is clearly not a comparable opponent for Barcelona. However, Barca is predicted to not secure three points easily when hosting Getafe at the Johan Cruyff Stadium on Monday (22/9/2025) early morning WIB. This is because Getafe is classified as a team with a high level of militancy in La Liga.

Hansi Flick once experienced the militancy of Getafe players when facing giant teams. Last season, the Barca coach felt firsthand how difficult it was to extinguish the great motivation of Getafe players. Barca had to settle for a draw despite having taken the lead early in the match.

Getafe players utilized their physical strength to disrupt Barcelona's playing scheme. The strategy of leveraging physical strength to counter Barcelona's tactical advantage proved successful.

The tendency of Getafe to utilize physical strength is still evident this season. Statistics indicate that Getafe ranks third among teams with the highest average number of fouls, with 15 fouls per match.

The militant attitude reflected in the physical clashes is also the key to Getafe starting the season quite well. In four matches, the team coached by Jose Bordalas achieved three victories and one defeat.

"To be honest, we started this season well. We are happy. We feel good. Now we will face one of the toughest matches of the season. Barca is in fantastic form, but we approach this match with the confidence that the team can perform well," said Bordalas, ahead of the match as quoted from Diario AS, Saturday (20/9/2025).

Barca needs to avoid physical confrontations and rely more on their tactical advantages. The sharpness of Marcus Rashford's return and the speed of Raphinha on the wing are likely to test Getafe's defensive transitions.

Meanwhile, Getafe will attempt to frustrate and retaliate through quick counterattacks, which will likely involve the intelligent movements of Borja Mayoral.

Two players have been key to Getafe's achievements so far. In the midfield, Getafe, which has lost Christantus Uche and Omar Alderete, is fortunate to have Luis Milla as a suitable replacement. The 30-year-old central midfielder is currently at the top of the assist leaderboard in La Liga with a total of four assists. Two of these assists were contributed during Getafe's victory over Real Oviedo in the previous match.

Bordalas considers Milla to be a midfielder with excellent ball control and a strong work ethic. Milla's work ethic aligns perfectly with Bordalas, who regards the hard work of every player as an obligation.

"He is a great player, everyone knows that. He is very important, he has had spectacular seasons, not only because of his contributions and commitment. He gives everything, he is generous in his efforts. He is a vital player," he said.

Another secret weapon of Getafe that is very likely to halt Barcelona's positive trend is Adrian Liso, who scored two goals in Getafe's victory over Sevilla. Thanks to his impressive performance this season, Liso has been called up to strengthen the Spanish U-20 team that will participate in the World Cup in Chile.

Liso's strengths lie in his speed and long-range shooting. His two goals against Sevilla originated from his agile movements that the Sevilla defense could not stop.

Hansi Flick must pay special attention to Liso. Allowing him space is equivalent to increasing Getafe's chances of ending Barcelona's positive trend.

Currently, Barca is experiencing high confidence after successfully securing a victory against Newcastle in their first match in the UEFA Champions League. Barca's impressive performance, particularly in the midfield led by Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, has garnered much praise. Marcus Rashford is also beginning to find his sharpness, making Barca much more favored to win compared to Getafe.

The win over Newcastle extended Barca's positive run, having previously thrashed Valencia 6-0 at the Johan Cruyff Stadium.